Bubsy Is Back, Because Nostalgia Is Out Of Control

It seems gamers just can't get enough of mascot-driven platformers these days. But you know it's a sure sign that the '90s are returning in full force when we learn that, yep, there's a new Bubsy game on the way. Take a look...

Coming to us from Accolade (they're back, apparently?) and Black Forest Games, what you're seeing above is our first look at Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back. If you grew up in the '90s, you might remember Bubsy as that game series starring a bobcat wearing a T-shirt with an exclamation point on it. In the grand scheme of things, he was what you might call a lower tier mascot. We're not trying to be rude, but Bubsy never really stood toe-to-toe with the likes of Mario, Sonic or Crash. Hell, I'm not sure you could even put him on the same level as Earthworm Jim, but there are bound to be a few fans out there nostalgic for the furry fella.

According to the press release, this is a brand new adventure for Bubsy, which we could pretty much tell from the trailer. The mechanics look familiar, though, featuring the titular bobcat grabbing shiny loot while bashing baddies, avoiding obstacles like rolling boulders and the like. The voiceover even notes that the series began way back in 1993, with the latest entry being Bubsy 3D from just three years later. You don't get much to look at in the trailer but, for fans, we're sure it's just enough to get excited about.

We would say we're surprised to see Bubsy return, but that wouldn't be too honest since we're pretty much seeing a resurgence in sequels, remakes and games inspired by the genre. ToeJam & Earl is getting a new game, for instance, while Sonic Mania is being designed to capture the look and feel of the earlier games in that landmark series. Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy is an upcoming, HD-ified collection from one of Sony's notorious mascots, while games like Yooka-Laylee and Snake Pass are a couple of the more modern takes on the mascot platformer genre. Over on the Nintendo front, they've got games like Mario Maker, specifically designed to let players experience, design and share their own classic-themed Mario levels.

It's certainly an interesting trend, and we wonder if it will mean any new mascots will rise to the surface and gain notoriety on par with some of the genre greats. Or, barring that, maybe this new Bubsy game will catapult the character into a spotlight it never really knew even back in its prime.

We'd certainly welcome your thoughts on the matter. Let us known in the comments below.